About the AGI Group
Founded in 1950 in Omuta, Japan by Mr. Yutaka Ikeda, as a glassware manufacturer, the AGI Group is a leading solutions provider for a wide range of chemical processing methods.
Over the years we have expanded out from Japan, acquiring companies offering premium glassware and chemistry solutions that share in our values and mission to provide exceptional products and services to our customers.
A global
offering
We are the leader in the Japanese market for precision glassware and system solutions. We have taken our industry expertise and have become a global group that is proud to be the world’s largest employer of scientific glassblowers. Our experience and capabilities mean we can tackle any job and provide complete solutions ranging from lab-scale to industrial-scale equipment as well as complex custom projects.
AGI Group
brands
The AGI Group is unified by values of innovation, sincerity and progress, and we are proud to be the world’s largest supplier of engineered glass systems. We are driven to design and manufacture exceptional products to the highest possible standards and provide our customers with unrivaled care.
The world’s
glassblowers
Glass is at the heart of all we do. We are proud to be the biggest employer of scientific glassblowers in the world. Our mission to provide exceptional products means that we understand and value the incredible skills and abilities of our glassblowers and their mastery of the discipline. Glassblowing is an ancient skill that the AGI Group want to encourage as a career path that makes a vital contribution to scientific discovery.
The AGI Group
history
Over the course of seven decades, AGI has transformed itself into a world class manufacturer of premium scientific glassware and chemical processing equipment.
It all begins way back in 1950 when Mr. Yutaka Ikeda established the glassblowing company, Asahi Seisakusho Inc. in Omuta City, Japan.
Glassware production begins and the company sees great success in the Japanese market, expanding production to a new factory in Otake City in 1968.
The 70s sees a huge expansion in capabilities with an AGI engineer travelling to Europe to acquire new glass technology in 1973, a new headquarters being completed in Arao City in 1973, and Quartz production technology starting in 1974. The end of the decade sees Asahi Seisakusho Co., Ltd. and Asahi Seisakusho Inc. being created to separate domestic sales and marketing departments.
Progress doesn’t stop and the 1980s see Asahi Semicon Inc. established as a quartz production company for the Semiconductor industry in 1980. The first Industrial Scale Rotary Evaporator is unveiled in 1983 and in 1987 a new factory for glass plant production is completed. 1989 sees Technosearch Co., Ltd. founded for environmental analysis services.
1990 heralds the introduction of a key AGI technology; the first Triple Wall Vessels are produced and bring huge advantages to customers looking for the best engineered systems.
AGI begins to look beyond Japan and in 2004 the Overseas Sales Department is formed. 2005 sees further global achievement with ISO quality environmental certifications 9001 and 14001 being attained. A new large-scale factory is constructed in Japan in 2006 and in 2008 our first joint venture in India, ATR Asahi Glass Process System PVT Ltd. is established.
In 2012 Asahi Glassplant Inc. (AGI) is formed from the merger of sees Asahi Seisakusho Co., Ltd. and Asahi Seisakusho Inc. 2014 then sees the establishment of AGI USA Inc., the acquisition of GlasKeller in Basel, Switzerland, and the all-in-one factory and office facility established as AGI Head Office in Arao city. In 2016 AGI acquires Asahi Techniglass C., Ltd. and establishes AGI Labtex Co,. Ltd. in Saitema, Japan.
2019 sees the acquisition of H.S. Martin Inc, in Vineland, New Jersey USA. That same year sees a big expansion in the UK, with Asahi Glassplant UK Ltd. (AGI UK) being established in Cambridge. AGI UK then acquires Cambridge Glassblowing Ltd. to establish a glass production facility in the UK.
Expansion into international markets does not stop in the 2020’s, with the AGI Group growing to become the biggest employer of scientific glassblowers in the world.
In 2020 AGI UK acquires Glass Solutions as a local scientific glass manufacturer in the UK, and Syrris, an internationally renowned automated batch and flow systems manufacturer. Italian glass manufacturer Soffieria Sestese is acquired in 2021. In 2022, internationally renowned Swiss brand, Premex, who manufacture high pressure reactor systems, is added to the ever-expanding portfolio.
AGI International is formed at the start of 2023 to manage all AGI Group activities outside of Japan and is headquartered near Cambridge, UK.
Our customers
We have a diverse customer base, with industries ranging from pharmaceutical, chemical, automotive, semiconductor, and academia, as well as many other areas where high quality engineered glass is required.
